Experience a Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith and Mormon pioneers

A Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith, founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Latter-day Saint pioneers will be presented at BYU-Idaho on Friday, Sept. 18.

September 3, 2009Writer: Writer: Don Sparhawk

A Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith, founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Latter-day Saint pioneers will be presented at Brigham Young University-Idaho on Friday, Sept. 18.

The concert will feature composer Jason Deere, a popular singer and songwriter whose music is found on two CDs, Joseph-A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet and Trek-A Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers.

The concert will feature members of the popular Nashville group Due West, including Brad Hull, Matt Lopez and Tim Gates. Also performing in the show will be Mindy Gledhill, Kendra Lowe, Tony McClellan and Ron Saltmarsh.

Deere said the music "is the testimony and spiritual witness of some of Nashville's finest and most successful musicians about the life and mission of Joseph Smith."

He added, "I was reading everything I could about the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, and the main characters of that time period began to come alive for me. Then the songs started dropping out of the roof."

Eventually, Deere teamed up with Dan Truman, pianist for the country group Diamond Rio, and together they set out to finish what Deere had begun 15 years earlier. Although originally planning to perform in Rexburg, Truman will not be able to attend because of a scheduling conflict. He will be replaced by Kendra Lowe of the Lowe Family.

Deere has written for a number of artists, including LeAnn Rimes, Josh Gracin, Jessica Simpson and Wanessa Camargo. He also wrote five songs on SHeDAISY's double platinum debut album as well as the country trio's top 5 single "Don't Worry ‘Bout a Thing."

The concert will be in the Hart Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $4 for BYU-Idaho students and can be purchased at the BYU-Idaho Ticket Office, by calling 496-2230 or online at www.byui.edu/tickets.